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For every college student with a Che Guevara poster on their dorm room walls and a copy of Motorcycle Diaries on their shelves, there are plenty of Americans who remember the communist leader as a cold-blooded killer. That’s the problem with revolutionaries; they’re nothing if not divisive. Mercedes-Benz recently received a first-hand lesson in just how polarizing Guevara himself can be after the company used a massive image of the leader in the company’s presentation on car sharing at CES.

Dieter Zetsche, Daimler CEO, said, “Some colleagues still think that car-sharing borders on communism, but if this is a revolution, then ‘Viva la revolucion!’.”

The Guevara image then splayed across the one-story screen behind the executive, complete with a Mercedes-Benz three-pointed star on his trademark beret. Let the cringing begin.

It didn’t take long for Cuban exiles in Florida to descend on the Mercedes-Benz consumer site with promises of boycotts and shock at the company’s insensitivity. It does seem amazingly short-sighted for a German luxury manufacturer to embrace the image of a leader who happily shunned the niceties of the upper class for a rifle.

Mercedes boss Zetsche offends Cubans with Che Guevara joke

Honda can thank Wal-Mart for the automaker’s recent victory in a class-action lawsuit over Acura RL models equipped with the company’s Collision Mitigation Braking System. The system was designed to warn drivers of a potential crash, tighten the vehicle’s seat belts and automatically apply the brakes. However, lawyers for approximately 2,000 plaintiffs sued the Japanese automaker, arguing that the system may warn the driver too slowly, and it may not work at all – the lawsuit also complained the system may shut off altogether in foul weather. Reuters says the suit involves RL models equipped with the optional CMBS system purchased or leased between August 17, 2005 and December 16, 2008.

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in Pasadena, California found that a court ruling in a Wal-Mart case last June effectively narrowed the scope of class-action lawsuits. The same ruling was found to apply to the suit against Acura as well. Previously, a district judge in Los Angeles had ordered that California’s consumer protection laws could be applied to RL owners nationwide, but the new ruling repeals that judgment. The circuit court also reversed the district court’s finding that car buyers could have relied on advertising by Honda about the collision system. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found there weren’t enough common facts among the plaintiffs’ claims to apply the California laws across the board.

At this point, it’s unclear how the plaintiffs in the case will respond to the decision.

Honda wins Acura RL collision warning system class action lawsuit appeal

This isn’t good. Not at all. Automotive News reports that Porsche CEO Matthias Mueller has cooled on the idea of a sub-Boxster Porsche model. Mueller reportedly told German publication Wirtschaftswoche that a vehicle priced under the Boxster could dilute the brand’s image, adding that Porsche may need to “wait until the next generation of customers before the idea of a small roadster will work.”

We’ve been hearing about a roadster that slots under the Boxster for years, and in February, Mueller told AN that such a vehicle could arrive as soon as 2014.

We’d be lying if we said we weren’t disappointed by this development, as any new mid-engine Porsche sounds like a great idea to us. Porsche is, after all, still looking to launch the sub-Cayenne Cajun SUV next year. The Cajun should cost less than the base Boxster (the Cayenne is currently the lowest-priced Porsche), making it the lowest-priced vehicle in the lineup. We’re just not sure why an entry-level mid-engine roadster would be a worse idea than a second Porsche SUV.

Porsche’s sub-Boxster delayed

What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Only in this case, when we say “goose,” we mean Toyota, and when we say “gander,” we mean Lexus.

Take, for instance, the Japanese auto giant’s hybrid strategy. Leave aside hybrid drivetrains available in conventional models (like the Toyota Camry Hybrid or the Lexus GS 450h) and look directly at the stand-alone hybrid models like the Prius, which has grown from a single model into an entire range into an of itself. Now Lexus is reportedly preparing to follow suit.

Fortunately that won’t mean more vehicles like the HS, which is being discontinued, but more variants based on the CT 200h. In the coming years we could be looking at more body-styles based on the hybrid hatchback, though details remain scarce at this point.

The expansion of the CT family is only part of a larger product push for Lexus, which reportedly plans nine new or significantly updated models before the end of this year. The new GS sedan is to come first, followed by new versions of the ES, IS and LS, plus hybrid and F-Sport versions. A facelifted LX sport-ute just debuted at the Detroit Auto Show, and we could see the addition of a seven-seat crossover (to compete with the new Infiniti JX) and a new coupe to succeed the long-gone SC.

All in all it’s shaping up to be quite an ambitious campaign to propel Lexus back to the top of the luxury car market, a position reclaimed in recent years by the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.

Lexus pondering CT variants, seven-seat people mover

We’re not all that hopeful that the next generation Ford EcoSport will make its way to North America, but global markets ranging from Brazil to India should soon get their hands on a production version of this comely B-segment crossover.

It’s too bad that the Fiesta-sized EcoSport isn’t likely for our shores. We’re liking the Kinetic look and wide stance, and we’re guessing that the planned 1.0-liter EcoBoost mill should be both mildly entertaining and extremely efficient. And we’re not the only ones that are impressed with the EcoSport.

As you might imagine, Ford chief designer J Mays sounds positively smitten with the Blue Oval’s newest crossover creation, and he recently spent some time on camera to give an in-depth look at the concept’s finer design points. Hit the jump to watch the video for yourself.

Continue reading J Mays talks about Ford’s new EcoSport concept

J Mays talks about Ford’s new EcoSport concept

J.D. Power and Associates has released its annual Customer Retention Study, and Hyundai ranks the highest among brands in retaining buyers. Hyundai’s retention rate is up four percentage points to 64 percent in 2012, thanks largely to the Elantra and Sonata models. J.D. Power says that much of the manufacturer’s retention rate can be traced to its growing vehicle offerings and positively changing perceptions about Hyundai quality and market appeal.

Ford and Honda tied for second place with a rate of 60 percent. The report notes that Jeep enjoyed the largest improvement over the previous year with a jump of 17 percentage points to 51 percent in 2012.

The study also evaluated which buyers were more likely to return to an automaker for their next purchase, and the data revealed women and younger buyers had a higher brand retention rate than older consumers and males. Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Mercedes-Benz were all found to be particularly adept at keeping their female customers, while Ford, Kia, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz did a better job of holding onto buyers from Gen X and Y. Hit the jump for the full results of the 2012 Customer Retention Study.

Continue reading Hyundai tops J.D. Power’s Customer Retention Study

Hyundai tops J.D. Power’s Customer Retention Study

All summer, I make it a point to hit the local cruise nights, and while there are plenty of regulars on hand week to week, a few cars make just one appearance and vanish. Way back in May, the car you see above, a surf-themed 1964 Ford Falcon Squire dubbed “Tiki Taxi”, showed up. Immediately smitten, I snapped a bunch of photos, all of which are now gallerized here. Good thing, because the car never materialized again.

Fast-forward to today. Turns out, the “Tiki Taxi” is for sale. The coolest ‘64 Falcon station wagon in the known universe has a 289, three on the floor, and a JVC cassette deck to play your Martin Denny tapes during the ride to Trader Vic’s. Current high bid (as of post time) is $6,600, and you still have two days to get in on the action. Check out the photo gallery to see just how beautifully turned out this wagon really is. You can also download full-resolution shots here.

eBay Find of the Day: ‘64 Ford Falcon “Tiki Taxi”

The Mini faithful fondly remember the John Cooper Works GP (pictured above). Launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 2006, the GP edition was the fastest version of the first-gen Mini hatchback. It packed 218 horsepower, 180 pound-feet of torque, a beefier suspension and – thanks to the removal of the back seats and air-conditioning – 88 fewer pounds to motivate. The result was a 6.5-second sprint to 60 and a 146-mph top speed. Only 444 examples were made available shortly before the second-gen Mini was introduced.

Now, word on the street is that Mini is preparing a new GP version. Few details are available at this point, but considering that the current JCW packs 208 hp from its 1.6-liter turbo four, we ought to be looking at 220 horses or more in the new GP. To make things simpler, in fact, Mini could be preparing to shoe-horn in the engine being developed for the JCW Countryman, which is expected to pack more power than the JCW hatchback in order to get its heftier curb weight moving.

Given that the previous GP edition was a two-seat affair, we can’t help but wonder if Mini will turn to the new Coupe for this GP. But for now, we’ll just have to sit tight and see what the Anglo-German automaker has in store for its most hard-core fanatics.

Mini working up new John Cooper Works GP edition

Do the star-based safety ratings of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration work? We’d point out that automakers work hard to ensure the best ratings possible, and recent data shows that our roads are now safer.

NHTSA has made the five-star rating more difficult to obtain, and now Wards Automotive reports that the government agency is looking to advance the technology that helps avoid accidents altogether. The agency reportedly told attendees at a Society of Automotive Analysts event at the Detroit Auto Show that it is considering credits that reward safety avoidance tech, though NHTSA didn’t detail what technologies would be highlighted.

Technologies that avoid accidents are likely to decrease the amount of accidents over time, and one technology NHTSA finds promising are vehicle-to-vehicle communications systems. V2V tech enables vehicles to “speak” to one another, and the agency feels it could drop fatalities from about 33,000 per year to 20,000. NHTSA is reportedly testing V2V communications, and several automakers are involved.

NHTSA may add extra credit to 5-star crash rating system

It’s amazing what a little good old-fashioned ingenuity can create. Well, that and about 200 feet of thick steel tubing, 16-inch Fox coil-over suspenders, an LSX 454 crate engine from General Motors hooked to a Powerglide automatic transmission, and a custom-built pair of axles and a set of four 43-inch tires…

Of course, none of those components would do a lick of good if it weren’t for a talented builder and driver, and Tim Cameron apparently is both. Cameron has been building this unique type of rock-climbing off-road buggy for years, and his latest creation, which is called ShowTime, is his most impressive yet.

There aren’t many obstacles that can’t be tackled when you’ve got endless supplies of horsepower and articulation, even if traction is limited. That point will be driven home if you check out the video after the break, which is a compilation of tricky situations ably conquered by Cameron and his ShowTime rig. Well, almost all of them were conquered… See for yourself.

Continue reading Tim Cameron’s ShowTime is our kind of commuter car for the apocalypse

Tim Cameron’s ShowTime is our kind of commuter car for the apocalypse

Following Dr. Z’s keynote here at CES, Mercedes-Benz showed off the latest iteration of its telematics and infotainment system, mBrace2.

The system simply expands and enhances what M-B’s system has been doing for the last few years, integrating Facebook, Google Point of Interest searches and now Google Street View into the current COMAND interface.

There’s a full-scale browser controlled by the central COMAND knob, but as you can see in the video after the jump, a combination of spotty data access (the CES show floor needs its own spectrum) and some oddly chosen user interface decisions makes for a rather clunky experience.

Data issues aside, the biggest problem is using the outmoded concept of a pointer to select things on the screen. That’s fine for PCs, but using a five-way controller to pan and click around a page is infuriatingly frustrating. Here’s hoping M-B irons out the kinks before mBrace2 arrives on the all-new SL and the rest of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz lineup.

Continue reading Hands on with Mercedes-Benz mBrace2

Hands on with Mercedes-Benz mBrace2

Chrysler is serving up an impressive smattering of Mopar accessories for the 2013 Dodge Dart, including a host of performance parts. All told, buyers will be able to chose from a total of 150 accessories that range from an integrated Wi-Fi system to aerodynamic additions.

Chrysler says the Dart will feature the industry’s first wireless charging system for phones and other battery-powered gadgets. Users simply install a device-specific case and lay the hardware in a specific charging zone. The device then gets its battery topped off without the hassle of plugging up wires. Handy. Of course, we’re more interested in bits like the available 18-inch wheels and performance brake upgrade, which includes new calipers, rotors and performance pads.

In addition, Chrysler is hoping to thwart would-be thieves with a new electronic vehicle tracking system. The automaker partnered with Guidepoint Systmes, a leading company in GPS-based vehicle recovery systems, to provide tracking from coast to coast without a subscription. Hit the jump for the press release and head over to the Mopar site for a look at the full list of available options.

Continue reading Mopar to go full boat with 150 Dodge Dart accessories

Mopar to go full boat with 150 Dodge Dart accessories

Mercedes-Benz is making a big splash at CES this year, finally bringing a booth to the party and trotting out Daimler head Dr. Dieter Zetsche to keynote Tuesday morning’s festivities.

The big news is the introduction of mBrace2, Mercedes’ new cloud-based entertainment and information delivery system that debuts on the all-new SL roadster and proliferating through the Benz lineup in 2013.

We just wrapped up a hands-on with the prototype system (coming soon), but if you’re looking for a thoroughly updated COMAND interface, you’re in for disappointment.

The same beige and black user interface carries over with mBrace2, but there’s attractive news on the horizon. Mercedes tells us that an all-new and completely redesigned interface is due to debut on the 2014 S-Class, which will drop the 90s-era graphics for a more modern, intuitive design. And if it’s anything like the system Mercedes showed off with the Concept A-Class, things are finally looking up for Benz infotainment.

2014 Mercedes-Benz S-Class to feature all-new infotainment system

Lincoln dropped plenty of jaws with the company’s MKZ Concept at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, but the vehicle may have been a bit hotter than the company intended. Something seems to have gone awry with the showcar’s electronics as it sat on the show floor. At some point, thin puffs of smoke began wafting from the driver’s side door panel. No actual flames were spotted or damage reported, but something tells us someone is going to have some explaining to do in Dearborn (the screencap above appears to be an unnerved Joel Piaskowski, Ford’s exterior design boss).

The Lincoln MKZ Concept heralds things to come from the production version of the vehicle set to debut later this year. The vehicle features the resurrection of the push-button transmission, the likes of which we haven’t seen on a production vehicle since the late ’60s. Lincoln promises to roll out drivetrain details as we get closer to the 2012 New York Auto Show. Here’s hoping they can keep the vehicle from going all flambé between now and then. In the mean time, hit the jump to see the video of the concept smoking on stage.

Continue reading Lincoln MKZ Concept arrives smokin’ hot in Detroit

Lincoln MKZ Concept arrives smokin’ hot in Detroit

Audi has tripled the size of its booth here at CES, and contained within is a mockup of the next A3’s interior. Well, half of it. But the functional display was designed to showcase the latest generation of Audi Connect, the automaker’s reworked infotainment system that’s set to debut on the 2013 Audi A3.

As we exclusively revealed to you last year, Audi is incorporating its touchpad technology (originally fitted to the A7 and A8) directly into its Multi Media Interface (MMI) control knob, negating the need to move one’s hand to write individual letters for navigation, point-of-interest and web searches. As expected, the knob has grown in size, but the additional girth isn’t a bad thing. Audi has also nixed the traditional buttons flanking the knob and instead replaced them with toggle switches to swap between navigation, telephone, radio and media. From a muscle-memory point-of-view, this should be a good thing.

The other major upgrade is under the dash, with the installation of Audi’s first Multi-Media Extension (MMX) board. This new modular board incorporates an NVIDIA Tegra graphics processor that not only displays fantastic images and 3D animations on the ultra-thin seven-inch display, it can be swapped out as chipset technology evolves. Audi has also expanded its Google Earth integration to include Google Street View and a new iPhone cradle in the armrest boosts the phone’s signal to keep the data flowing. We were also told that inductive charging could be included in the cradle, but that might be one system that’s left on the cutting room floor. Get a sample of it all in our hands-on video after the jump.

Continue reading Audi shows off 2013 A3 interior with new Audi Connect, we go hands-on [w/video]

Audi shows off 2013 A3 interior with new Audi Connect, we go hands-on [w/video]

Three years (on top of the three-plus we’ve already waited) is a long time to wait for the second coming of the Acura NSX. Measured in Internet time, it’s an infinite opportunity for speculation about the whys and hows of the new car. Aside from the new supercar’s hybrid powertrain, the most shocking part of the announcement is that the car will be built in Ohio. Honda has an engine plant, a transmission plant, two assembly plants and a research and development center in the state, so this shouldn’t be treated with the same level of surprise as if, say, Ferrari announced it would start building cars in Kansas.

Yet it’s still a big change for the exotic Acura, which was manufactured in Japan during its entire first-generation lifecycle, from 1990-2005. When the NSX debuted, part of its appeal was that it represented the pinnacle of Japanese technology and quality, at a time when Japanese automakers were absolutely crushing the competition in both. Times have changed, but we still suspect that a number of fanboys might be disappointed that the second-generation NSX will be built by gaijin.

We spoke with American Honda CEO and president Tetsuo Iwamura about the decision to develop and manufacture the NSX here in the U.S., and he told us that the decision was made for three reasons. The first is that Honda is committed to building cars in the market in which they are sold. The U.S. is the largest market for the NSX, although he said the car will be exported to Japan and other markets.

When asked if there was any concern that Japanese customers might have objections to a Japanese supercar built in the U.S., Iwamura said, “You don’t have to be so modest. American-built cars have a power, even in Japan.”

The second factor was that Honda has had positive experiences with product development of other models here in the States. Iwamura specifically mentioned the North American market-only Pilot and Odyssey as examples. The third reason for the decision to build the NSX here is that Honda believes its Ohio manufacturing facilities produce high-quality products and wants to take advantage of that expertise. Iwamura also said that assigning the halo car to the U.S. would be motivational for its American employees.

Currency fluctuation, however, was not a consideration, according to the Honda chief. While he said that would indeed be the case with a mass-market model, the limited-production nature of the NSX makes the effect of a strong yen a moot point. Regardless of where its built, Iwamura said the main consideration in bringing the NSX back to market is its technology, quality and performance, just as the original did. The NSX is an important part of modern automotive history, a literal poster-child of the ’90s, so we’re certainly rooting for this new exotic Buckeyemobile to deliver on all fronts.

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Why is the Acura NSX being built in Ohio? [w/poll]

We’ve just returned from a Detroit Auto Show media roundtable with Klaus Draeger, member of the Board of BMW AG, Development, and he’s helped shed some light on both some near- and far-term developments for BMW in the States.

Draeger confirmed that BMW has absolutely no plans to expand the 1 Series lineup in the U.S. with a hatchback variant like the new generation F20 range sold in Europe. While Draeger says that the 1 Series has done a “wonderful job” for BMW, he notes that the model is positioned very differently in the U.S. and Europe. In the States, the 1 Series is a car for hardcore driving enthusiasts, but in Europe, with its fuller range of (primarily lower-power) engines and bodystyles, the 1 Series is positioned as more of a family car – an entry point to the brand (70 percent of European 1 Series buyers are new to BMW).

In the short-term, Draeger confirmed that the 740i six-cylinder model will receive the company’s xDrive all-wheel drive system before the end of the year. The system is currently available on the V8-powered 750i, but with the biggest market for the 7 Series being the New York tri-state area, not having the additional foul weather performance of xDrive in the I6 has left a vacuum in the model lineup.

In more general terms, Draeger says we can expect to see electric power steering and start/stop systems in all BMWs, and indeed, a number of models in the company’s portfolio already feature the fuel-saving technologies.

Also on the fuel-saving front, Draeger says that X5 diesel sales are going well in the States, accounting for roughly one-third of sales. Despite that, the X6 will not get a diesel variant, as the current model only has two or three years left in its life and it wouldn’t make sense to introduce one this late in life. However, he wouldn’t rule one out for the next-gen X6, nor was he willing to preclude a diesel’s inclusion in the new X3. The new generation 3 Series and current 5 Series are also likely candidates for oil burning motivation, but they won’t happen this calendar year.

When asked if BMW is happy with X6 sales, Draeger said “Yes. Absolutely.” As a followup question, Draeger was asked if it then made sense to do a similar variant on the X3, and he said “Yes. Yes.” Unfortunately, he wasn’t at liberty to elaborate.

Finally, BMW officially announced yesterday that its smallest crossover, the X1, will go on sale here soon (likely not before a mid-cycle refresh), but Draeger maintains that there is “no real synergy” to justify bringing production to the U.S.

BMW still has “no plans” for 1 Series hatch in States, X6-like X3 variant in the cards

Volvo has made it a point to emphasize – surprise – the safety of its plug-in vehicles at recent auto shows. Now, at the Detroit Auto Show, the Swedish automaker has showed off the XC60 Plug-In Gasoline Hybrid Concept, a way to gauge American reaction to the idea of a plug-in CUV from Volvo. Why? Because this concept is headed to the U.S. and Chinese markets – in a different guise and with a lot of changes – within “a couple of years.” That means something like 2014-2015. Volvo’s first PHEV here could be an XC60 model, or perhaps an S60, said Volvo CEO and President Stefan Jacoby. For now, Jacoby tells Autoblog that the XC60 PHEV shows the direction Volvo is headed.

Here are the numbers: a 35-mile all-electric range, a recharging time of just 3.5 hours from a 220V outlet (7.5 hours from a more common 110V). Volvo estimates U.S. fuel economy of 105 miles per gallon equivalent and 50 mpg when the battery runs dry. 0-60 is reached in 5.8 seconds on the way to a 130-mph top speed. Oh, and there are eight gears in the auto transmission.

Gasoline is burned in a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that is turbocharged and direct-injected and has stop-start technology. This 280-horsepower powerplant moves the front wheels, and a 70-hp electric motor propels the back wheels (this is known as a through-the-road hybrid). The XC60 PHEV has a 12-kWh lithium-ion battery, but just 66 percent of that (8 kWh) is used. The driver can select three modes – Pure, Hybrid and Power – depending on which type of fuel economy and performance is desired. Details of this technology can be found after the jump, and images of the XC60 test bed are available in our galleries.

Continue reading XC60 Plug-In Hybrid shows where Volvo is headed

XC60 Plug-In Hybrid shows where Volvo is headed

We got our first taste of Chevrolet’s new entry-level version of MyLink at CES, and for being a pre-production unit that’s not due to arrive in showrooms until later this year, we’re throughly impressed.

The system uses a seven-inch resistive touchscreen to display the basics – audio, telephone and settings – along with a photo/video viewer (only functional when the car is stationary) and an app launcher.

The only two apps currently available are Pandora and Stitcher, but there’s a lot of space to fill on that screen and the reps we spoke to made it clear that they’re in talks with other third-party developers.

What impressed the most was both the responsiveness – something other automakers have been combating for some time – and the overall design, which is clean, clear and straight-forward (and how can you go wrong with Helvetica Neue?). It’s everything we want in a touchscreen interface and nothing more.

Well, almost.

There’s no embedded navigation system, so you’ll be relying on OnStar to provide directions. That said, turn-by-turn guidance will be ported through the head unit, so it’s better than dealing with arrows on a tiny screen nestled between the gauges. And what about voice control? For Android devices, Chevy is leveraging the built in voice search functionality. For the iPhone… not much, yet. But for a system that’s aimed at subcompacts and with a price point that’s sure to be more than palatable, you can’t have the world. And aside from the Sync-equipped Ford Fiesta, there’s nothing out there that even begins to compete. Check out the demo after the jump for more.

Continue reading Hands-on with Chevrolet MyLink for the 2013 Sonic, Spark

Hands-on with Chevrolet MyLink for the 2013 Sonic, Spark

The Acura NSX Concept was only just unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show and here it’s already in a Gran Turismo 5 video. The newest take on an ecological supercar features Honda’s recently pointy concept-design language, as well as a V6 amidships getting help from three hybrid motors and Acura’s SH-AWD.

The real thing has been promised three years hence, but if this stab at it does get to production, we have no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more of it before then. The next phase in the NSX-fest begins after the jump, with two minutes of the supercoupe on an angry run through GT5 vistas.

Continue reading Acura NSX old and new get together in Gran Turismo 5 vid

Acura NSX old and new get together in Gran Turismo 5 vid